Embodiments herein generally relate to book binding processes and, more particularly, to a system and method for treating printed flexible book covers prior to book binding.
Flexible book covers (i.e., soft cover book covers, such as paper book covers) are typically printed by an electrostatographic image reproduction machine (e.g., an electrostatographic printer, copier or other the like) prior to book binding. With such electrostatographic image reproduction machines, toner images are fused onto one or both sides of a print media sheet (in this case, the flexible book cover) by a fuser. Specifically, a typical electrostatographic image reproduction machine imparts toner images onto a print media sheet and then passes the print media sheet through a fuser. The fuser applies heat and/or pressure in order to fuse (i.e., fix) the toner particles, which form the toner images, onto the print media sheet. However, during this fusing process, toner particles may transfer onto the fuser and, thereby onto other parts of the machine or onto subsequently printed print media sheets. This offset of toner particles can be inhibited or prevented by applying a thin film of fuser oil (e.g., silicon oil) onto the surface of the fuser. Unfortunately, fuser oil can transfer onto and be absorbed by print media sheets during the fusing process and can interfere with subsequent processing. For example, in the case of a flexible printed book cover, fuser oil that is transferred onto and absorbed by the spine portion of the book cover can prevent adequate adhesion of adhesive material (e.g., glue or tape) during a subsequent book binding process (e.g., a perfect bound book binding process or a tape binding process).